Stage! Light! Action! Wait... Â Â Â When young single mom and singer, Adele Freeman is approached by a talent manager who is convinced he could elevate her from just singing in bars to singing in big stages all in the name of Broadway, she knows saying no is not an option. It's not like the bank would take the excuse of her not born for Broadway as collateral instead of her father's dream farm... She finds her way in L.A and in the most famous art school in Hollywood in the blink of an eyes, now she has to not only find a way to blend into this new world she's found herself in, but also deal with arrogant, young lads... The types of Anders Carter. Â Anders knows for sure that Adele's the prettiest girl he'd ever seen, so why not just approach her like a normal human being... Instead he fumbles it and now she thinks he's the most arrogant man she's ever met. For some reason, he can't quite look away or quit talking when he's with her. He's sure of his scars... His drive to ruin everything... But he's also sure about the saying that everything happens all of a sudden. Especially love...
Adele's Point of View.
"Oh, little Tim, if only you knew what vegetables would do to your body. You would eat them rather than throw them away or secretly give them to your mother." My mother said, that made Timothy's hand freeze in the air. His eyes squinted at his grandmother.
"If I eat them, will you tell me what they do?" Timothy pleaded, then added. "But you don't have to tell me anything if they are bad things." Mom chuckled softly.
"They are not bad things. In fact, I'll tell you the secret then. They make you grow so tall that they might mistake you for a sixteen-year-old fella instead of a five-year-old." She exaggerated and I rolled my eyes. But Timothy was buying it. So help me God, he was buying the lie my mother was feeding him. I chuckled at his widened eyes.
He turned to me, "Did you hear that, Mama? I could be tall like you if I eat my vegetables."
I nodded and ruffled his thick brown hair. Since he was already buying into it all, I might as well contribute to this party of hoping to love vegetable aspiration. "I did, sweetheart. I sure did. It doesn't only make you grow so tall, it also makes your teeth as strong as they can be."
His eyes danced. "Does that mean I get to eat all the candy I can without caring for my teeth?"
I chuckled. "Sure, why not."
He immediately started shoving all the broccoli that could fit into his small mouth, stopping in between heavy bites to drink water. Oh, kids were so gullible.
My sister, Ann, didn't say anything for a while. Her head was drowned by the newspaper in front of her. "Oh my God!" her voice rang loudly, bringing us all to a halt. She then stared up, her eyes apologizing before her voice did. "Sorry. I just... Believe it or not, your name is on the paper. Carlton Perry wrote about you after all. He says your voice can soothe a bruise, and cut tension loose. Wow, that rhymed!"
I sprung to my feet, collecting the newspaper from her at once. She wasn't joking. My name had actually been there. My heart warmed at the beautiful words. Everyone read the paper, did that mean that they were going to see this? Of course, they would.
"Does that mean you're famous now, mama?" Little Tim asked with his mouth full. The excitement and hope in his voice weren't hidden though. My eyes moved to the leaking ceiling and the bucket that accommodated all the water it had to pour since last night and sighed.
I shrugged. "I wouldn't say that I'm famous now baby, just that perhaps I may be drawing attention to myself. That's all."
He frowned. "Isn't that what being famous means?" He asked, staring at me. Waiting for an answer. I shrugged and nodded. Finally giving in to his question. I knew how difficult it was to answer Tim's question. Whenever it started, it didn't seem to stop.
"Yay!" His hands raised up and back down. Something about seeing my son that excited made me excited. If only I could do more...
I raised my gaze from Tim's face and they fell on my mother who had grown unusually silent. She pursed her lips and shook her head. Then placing a careful smile back on, she turned to Tim who seemed like he was contemplating eating the one last broccoli on his plate or losing the challenge that my mother hadn't uttered.
"Come on, Tim, let's go find that sweater of yours before your daddy comes to pick you up."
Tim immediately got up, looking like he was excited to leave the food. He was sick of the veggies. I knew it. That made me want to laugh, but Mom's silence about the newspaper held me back. I wasn't sure it was okay to laugh, yet anyway. When they both disappeared behind the curtain, Ann stared at me.
"What do you think that was about?"
"I have no idea and if I'm being honest, I hate that I don't know. Maybe if I did know, I would have the slightest idea on how to just soothe her. Let her know that it's okay. That it's going to be okay. We are going to be okay. We've always been okay, it's not going to be the last time."
"Yeah, well, I don't know about that," Ann said. Her gaze then flew down to her dinner plate like she had already said enough and shouldn't have spoken at all.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing."
"Annie Charity Freeman, I can read you like a book. You can lie to everyone but not me. What did you mean by what you said?"
"What did I say? It was just me trying to be honest about how I'm feeling." She lies again. Her eyes twitched.
I sighed. "Just tell me what the problem is, please. There's something you know that I don't know and you don't want to tell me."
It was her turn to sigh. She stared at me for a while before finally giving in. "We're going to be having neighbors in no time."
What did that mean? I had no idea that my face lined up with a frown on my forehead as I tried to understand what she meant by that. There was nothing but land surrounding our house. It was one thing I loved about the homestead. It had quite the privacy that people so loved. It immediately dawned on me. Were we planning to sell a bit of the land to some people?! "Please don't tell me that Mama is trying to sell the land? You know how much this place meant to Father."
Anne's gaze wouldn't meet mine. My stomach churned from the suspense. Oh, no, it was actually worse. That was not the only thing. It had to be much worse. Everything about Anna's face said so. "I wish it were just a bit of the land we were selling." Anne sighed before breaking more of the bad news to me. "Adele, the house is on the market. It has been for the past one week and as of this minute, we have received calls from interested buyers."
Wait. What?! Having nothing else to do, I laughed. Surely, it was just a joke. But with each rhythm of laughter, Anne's gaze gets more serious. My stomach churned at her face. An unusual lump formed on my throat as I tried to hold in it, it felt more and more impossible to hold in.
"I... Why? I don't understand." My eyes roamed through the dining room. The ceiling. Everywhere brought memories. Everything about this house had the story of my life written on it. Experiences as handwriting. Painful and pleasant. Joyous and angering. It was all here. I sunk into my chair, suddenly no longer in the mood for food. I had once thought that the food on the plate was too small but now, it was like a mountain to finish. I had no idea that my mother had been watching us from the doorway until her voice spoke, making me jump slightly.
"Because we can't afford the money to pay it off anymore. We have nothing else to do but to sell this house. It's either we sell it or we-"
I whirled around, eyes flashing. "We can't pay for it anymore? What's that supposed to mean? What about the savings Dad left in the bank? What about the money he has saved all his life?"
"You mean the five thousand dollars and a button?" My mother asked dryly. Her eyes met mine. Anne just sat still, watching us both. Silently praying that we wouldn't turn the house down in our obvious rage. "Adelita, do you know how much this house cost? Your father's 'savings' would do us no good."
She paused, waiting for me to come up with a comeback. When I didn't, her volume equally came down and she sighed. She went to her seat, her tone was gentle and ready to reason with me. "God knows that your father worked hard all his life. He has always worked hard. For a boy who had nothing to his name, nobody believed that he would actually make it, but he did. He worked with his hands and he bought this house with little he had." My mother swallowed, she was holding back tears. I knew it. Even though she hated crying and showing much affection, whenever it came to my father she was a puddle. "When we bought this house, the mortgage wasn't that huge. We thought we could pay for it. We were so sure, but with each year things just seemed more and more impossible. It was more of hand to mouth and farm to bank." She sniffled loudly. "I mean, the banks are, after all, thieves with a building."
Anne's hand flew over hers. "I'm sorry, mama." Staring at their clasped hands for a long time, before deciding it was probably the source of strength I needed now. I placed my hand over theirs. My mother stared up and smiled at us both.
"I'm sorry too, honey. We could have done better, but we did all we knew we could do. It's all we could do."
"Mama, don't say that. You and Papa gave us everything that you could give. You gave us everything and that is what it is, everything. Nothing less. Definitely something more if you ask me. You are giving Tim all you can. You're a great mother and grandmother, and Papa was a great father. The best actually." That made her smile. Anne nodded I'm agreement, unable to stop the smile that slowly clung to her face.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Mama whispered. And even if I wasn't so sure before, something about that broken whisper gave me all the reassurance I needed.
"And don't worry about the house. I know that's impossible to ask of you but let me just tell you now, that I will do everything I can to see that we don't leave this house. Do you hear me? Everything, I can do. We are not going to leave our home." I said.
Mama and Anne exchanged a glance. "Did you just hear anything I said? Adelita, we have four months to leave this house. We got lucky enough to get the barn out of the deal, we paid that off, and we'll just renovate it. Don't worry about it. Sweetheart, hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money. It's not something you can just get like that. Not without getting another loan. I don't want you getting a loan on my behalf, please dear, let's just take what we have."
I shook my head. "Mama, everything I know is here. This is the place I grew up in. This is the place that I call home. I can't just let it go like that. You have to understand. It's not going to be that simple. I'm not letting go. Not without a fight."
She stared at me for a while. I could tell she was trying her best to remain calm and not flip at me. I was being difficult. Before she asked the question, I had been convinced she would ask, Anne did.
"What are you going to do, Adele?"
"Anything."
***
I had nothing. Absolutely no idea how to save our house. And even though as I walked into the bar, everyone celebrated with me and congratulated me for the achievement of having my name published in the local newspaper and for something good, it couldn't quite wipe out the thought of losing my home. And who was going to tell Tim? It had to be Mama. I wasn't as strong as she was when it came to giving bad news. I didn't trust myself not to break into tears when breaking the news to him.
"Adele Freeman, the stage is yours in fifteen." The bar manager called loudly, making me jump.
Love is citrusy. It can be sweet as it is sour... Medical school. Check. Wonderful grades. Check. Famous parents. Check. Great love life. Skip. There's nothing Abigail Espérer wants more than to flee her parents suffocating shadows and save lives, so internship is a cape day for her. Graceland hospital seems to be the perfect place to make friends and live freely without the pressure of being offered a couple of bucks in exchange for a picture with her parents. Everything is perfect... Until she runs into Jack, her freakishly handsome supervisor which happens to be her first love. Her only love infact... And no matter how hard she tries or how much she would give to have him talk to her like he once did when they laid under the stars, but perhaps some wounds take time to heal and some won't just heal...  Jackson Heartland has always wanted to be a doctor. He had never been so sure about anything else before. He'd also wanted a big house, a large bookshelf, a dog to go to country games with and a wife to love. Without a doubt he knew Abigail was it for him right from the very first sticky handshake, her quirky spirit was just as magnetic as her beauty... But if wishes were horses then his seven-year old self would ride all day. He may not have gotten everything he thought he couldn't live without, but his life at Graceland was good and coffee made it greater, so when he bumps into twenty eight year old Abigail at the elevator he wants nothing more than his life to go back to the way it was_just coffee and routine_but love just doesn't work that way... It never has.

Eva, a young kid who lost both her parents in a hit and run case, was found by a top secret organization called Sentinel. Sentinel, a top secret organization run by former spies and government agents,with unlimited and unrestricted access to advanced technology and resources. It aims to uncover the dirty dealings of successful business men and women. Determined to use Eva as an effective weapon, Sentinel trained her to be the perfect spy. Driven by her hatred for criminals, Eva becomes the shadow huntress. Planted in George's life, she was sent to find out everything about him that could be used to bring him down. Carefully planning each phase of her plan, Eva befriended George, slowly worked her way into his heart and got him to put a ring on her finger, it was all a contract to Eva. Working tirelessly to expose his dirty secrets, Eva finds herself falling in love with the man she aims to destroy, Eva chooses to abort her feelings. However life has more in store for her, as she discovers not everything she was told was true. Only time can tell how this drama unfolds.
Ava made a huge mistake when she was in college by getting married to her college sweetheart, she didn't know that life wasn't all sweet and beautiful. In a loveless marriage, she decided that she needed to set both her and Miles free, she shouldn't have ever done what she did at the beginning, she knew she had been obsessed and she needed to kill that obsession. After divorce, Miles finally realises that he has feelings for her, but would she be able to fall in love with all over again, after all he did?. Or will they keep going in circles just to try and find a way around their feelings?!. Find out.
Katherine Mayers never saw herself as a spy, but when the FBI recruits her to go undercover as a housekeeper for Carson Cooper-a ruthless arms dealer-she has no choice but to dive in. Her mission: gain his trust, gather intel, and stay alive. But Carson isn't just dangerous-he's also dangerously irresistible. As Katy's cover deepens, so do her feelings for Carson. Torn between her mission and her heart, she's hiding more than just government secrets. When a deadly business deal goes wrong, and Carson's life is on the line, Katy must risk it all to save him-while keeping her own identity hidden. But when Carson uncovers her betrayal, a shocking twist changes everything. He's been undercover too. Now, with their trust shattered, can they work together to stop a bigger threat, or will the secrets between them destroy their only chance at love?
At 16, Mila wants nothing to do with hard work and she wants nothing more to do with Ryel, the soon to be alpha of the Silvercoast Pack. But why does she seem happy and fulfilled when she discovers they are mates on his 18th birthday. Raped, rejected and betrayed, an outcast in her own pack she no longer views life as roses and rainbows. Now a human in the human world with no recollection of her past, she chances upon her beloved mate. He remembers everything but she has no idea who he is or what they were to each other. Will he let go of the past and move forward? Will her heart give him another chance? Is he willing to let her go again?
"I heard you're going to marry Marcelo. Is this perhaps your revenge against me? It's very laughable, Renee. That man can barely function." Her foster family, her cheating ex, everyone thought Renee was going to live in pure hell after getting married to a disabled and cruel man. She didn't know if anything good would ever come out of it after all, she had always thought it would be hard for anyone to love her but this cruel man with dark secrets is never going to grant her a divorce because she makes him forget how to breathe.
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
Rocky Bai, a young and talented scholar in the field of gene study, ranked number one among his peers. While he was on the flight headed for the venue, an aircraft accident occurred right before he passed out. ... Rocky Bai is reborn! He saves a dragon and trains it in the Holy Dragon Empire. To his surprise, his dragon can cure disease and even bring people back from death. With the dragon, Rocky starts a new life. He is no longer a good-for-nothing, but an ambitious martial arts master and spirit manipulator among his generation. Let's join in their adventure!
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"